Host Directories - just how crooked are they?

OK, let me get this straight.

1. You don't find negative comments about hosts that advertise with you only because they're so good.

2. You remove slanderous comments.

Hmm... do I smell a contradiction here?

Your definition of slander also seems very odd. Those comments dealt mainly with bad billing experiences with CI Host (you cancel, they don't stop billing you). This is hardly slander, it seems very believeable, and is something I've heard about many web hosts. The key point in the definition of slander is that it is untrue and, well, slanderous. Giving personal experiences is not slander.

As to them being an advertiser - I may be wrong about that, I don't know. If I remember, the URL http://www.cihost.com/webhostingorder_virtualserver_hi.html is the order form for a special deal for people from your site (Host Investigator = hi). Not positive, though.

Even if they're not an advertiser, removing negative messages simply because they say "we don't like those" ensures that your directory is neither impartial nor useful.

Re: Perhaps you can't find any negative comments about companies that advertise with us because they are so good.

What I meant is that just because a company advertises with us it does not mean they are a "bad" company. At the moment we have only a few advertisers in our system, all of which are very reputable. Don't be surprised if you don't find much negative comments about them, and don't just to conclusion that we are removing and covering negative comments up about a company because they advertise with us.

Some messages are removed due to them being unsuitable, or the realistic possibility of a law suit against us. But messages of such appear for some time before they remove (due to time lapse between UK and US).

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Matt Freeman
http://www.hostinvestigator.com

Re: As to them being an advertiser - I may be wrong about that, I don't know. If I remember, the URL http://www.cihost.com/webhostingorder_virtualserver_hi.html is the order form for a special deal for people from your site (Host Investigator = hi). Not positive, though.

CIHOST have never advertised with us, although they have requested information we have not honoured their requests.

Nor have we referred people to the url you state.

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Matt Freeman
http://www.hostinvestigator.com

Matt's a good man. He knows what he is talking about. I can confirm about the CI Host thing. They have never advertised anything from CI Host. Cheers.

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Chase Y.
Radius Design

This I agree with:
<...or the realistic possibility of a law suit against us.>
I live under the same threats from certain companies that get put down in these forums. So far I have not deleted any posts, but if it came to it I WOULD delete said posts, so I stand by Matt on this point.
JP

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The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Center.
http://www.what-next.com

"Your definition of slander also seems very odd." I'm sorry but Matt did not say that he thought they were slanderous, he said:"...the reason is that CIHOST considered them slanderous and ordered us to remove them, or face the possibility of legal action." Also, in many cases, the angry people posting messages about their "terrible" experiences are often people who have uploaded material that is not allowed on their account as stated in the host's acceptable use policy. I'm not saying that is always the case, I'm just offering a different viewpoint.

Advertising by CI Host: I guess not, then. They do advertise on many hosting websites, and that bookmarked URL seemed to point to you - I was confused. Sorry.

Still, the reason I posted this in the first place - deletion of posts - still stands. I honestly don't know whether deletion of posts, by advertisers or not, is a common occurence. I don't read that forum very regularly, I just know that the one post I have ever made there was deleted. My main point still stands: a hosting directory cannot claim to be impartial if it deletes negative comments at the request of the person the comments were directed to.

CJ said that those who make negative comments are often angry because they misused the servers or violated the terms & conditions. This is perfectly true. This is still not a reasons to disallow all negative comments. I've seen some companies donate web space to people in return for good word-of-mouth. Does this mean we should disallow all positive comments, as they've been coerced?

I believe that you've never been paid by CI Host, and understand that the threat of a lawsuit can be a scary thing. (On a side note, a suit claiming slander on your part when you have simply provided a forum for someone else to share a true (to the best of your knowledge) personal experience has absolutely no merit -- in many countries, I believe, you could sue them for vexatious litigation). When you're one person being threatened by a company with deep pockets, it's not fun. Giving in to the requests is understandable. However, I disagree with both giving in to the threats AND calling yourself a "Host Investigator" while not letting your users know that posts are deleted.

I was (justifiably) angry when I posted this, and after hearing the facts here I realize that this particular site isn't deliberately trying to swindle anyone. That doesn't change the fact that users are being misled. In my opinion, a useful and honest resource should either allow all comments (suing you for those comments is much like suing AT&T or BT for paedophilia on Usenet, i.e. not going to happen) or let its users know that its site does not contain any negative comments.

When I was surfing the internet and somehow I saw this site was similair design to old CI Host website that they used have while months ago. The URL is at:

http://www.earth4free.com/english/hosting.html

I was surprised CI Host didn't see about this, that is a bad move for them to take advtanges about it. Sorry if I bring this up but that is a copyright problem over there.

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Carolina Web Net
www.carolinaweb.net

First off CIHOST is not an advertiser with Host Investigator, hence you may ask why we removed the messages, the reason is that CIHOST considered them slanderous and ordered us to remove them, or face the possibility of legal action.

Perhaps you can't find any negative comments about companies that advertise with us because they are so good, we wouldn't advertise a company that did perform to expectations.

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Matt Freeman
http://www.hostinvestigator.com

NB: I asked Matt to check this post out in case he did not come across it himself.

However I do think that this comment in bordering on ridiculous (sorry Matt):
<Perhaps you can't find any negative comments about companies that advertise with us because they are so good>
ALL companies, even the best make mistakes and this in turn upsets certain clients. This is unavoidable - and this is why I never pay to much heed to vicious host reviews.
Saying that all the reviews on your site are good because the hosts are so good is simply not true in my opinion, though I would welcome any contradictory comments
JP

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The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Center.
http://www.what-next.com

Hi,

I started a hosting search engine myself because I had a few bad experience myself with hosting company's.

That's why I will never delete bad review's from any host.
I hope my site can help some people looking for a good host.

Marcel.
http://www.hostfinder.net

I wish to make a claim here that Matt is a good man. I also can say that CI Host does threaten with a lawyer all the time. I myself being one of them, in fact Chris emailed me just a few days ago and told me not to tell anyone he acts this way. I only speak the truth and the truth here is Matt wishes to not clash heads with Chris at Cihost. Please do not take this as a crooked man:-)

I can also say that other forums also delete post without due cause but I will not name any names. I am just saying that Matt is not the only one to delete post:-)

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Winweb.pcisd.com, The first Non Web-based control panel

Just my two cents worth. I was talking to my lawyer about this and he said that if you do not write the information, then you cannot be sued. CI can only go after the person who composed those comments.

You don't see many large websites with forums deleting threads. That would be censorship in a way.

Just my two cents,

Mike Palmer

This discussion is ludicrus. Matt "a good man" with good intentions, should be shot for being so damn stupid. If someone is limiting your freedom to express free speech, and you do not stand up for yourself, you should be shot , hanged and mutilated. There is not a court, in this country that would consider one or more peoples opinions posted in a public forum to be slanderous. Any man who forfits his rights, and in turn forces others to forfit theirs, does not deserve to live. This is the becommings of another Hitler. Who shalt be the judge of any other man's opinions? Does this make you God? Maybe in your limited world. But remember, your unwillingness to stand up for your rights affects everyone, and adds to the apathy of this world as a whole.
yours truely,
Digital Pimp , (the devils advocate)

To findwebspace and Digital Pimp:

There is one thing to remember in all this - it's not whether you win or lose the lawsuit, it's how much it costs to defend yourself. If someone came to you and said "remove that post or we'll sue you", and you can't afford that $10,000 to $50,000 it'll cost to defend yourself against a lawsuit (whether you win or lose, you still pay), then you'd likely remove that post, too.

Jason

All depends on what country you live in. The US is particularly bad for smaller people defending themselves; in Canada (where I live) and I believe the UK as well, it's standard practice to countersue for legal fees.